TYPICAL RADIO PROBLEMS AND

THIER OPTIMIZATION
Posted on

April 30, 2013 by TELNETWORK

TYPICAL RADIO PROBLEMS

Several sources of information for optimization: QoS indicators, Coverage predictions, Customer
complaints, Drive tests, Abis/A traces, Other teams information (NSS statistics).
I. Coverage Problem
Bad coverage :
A network facing coverage problems has bad RxLev. RxQual can be bad at the same time. Sometimes
the RxLev can look OK on the street (i.e. from drivetest) but coverage inside the buildings can be poor
due to building losses. Building losses can range from 10 to 30 dB or more.
Indications :
Customers complain about dropped calls and/or No Network
OMC QoS indicators
TCH failure rate
Call drop rate
Low proportion of better cell HO
High rate of DL & UL Level HO (possibly also DL/UL quality HO)
A interface indicators
High rate of Clear Request message, cause radio interface failure
Drive Test
Poor RxLev ( < -95 dBm)
Investigation and Optimization :
If actual coverage OK compared to predicted ones
Improve coverage by adding Macro site, Microcell site (Border or Shadow areas), or IBC site (Inbuilding coverage).
Use parameter setting ex. Bi-layer Handover.

 If actual coverage is not the one predicted by planning tool

Check antenna system (azimuth, crossed sector?)
Check prediction in the tool (EIRP, Clutter Type, Obstructing building?). Most of the time the
prediction will be incorrect, as it is only a computer simulation
Increase or decrease antenna down-tilt
Check BTS output power set in the OMC-R (BS_TXPWR_MAX: should always be set at 0)
From Drive test or Abis Interface
RxLev < -95 dBm and
RxQual > 4
II. Interference Problem
Interference:
A network facing interferences problems presents good RxLev and bad RxQual in the same time on
some areas.
Indications:
Customers complain about bad speech quality (noisy calls) and/or call drops
OMC QoS indicators
SDCCH/TCH Drop
Low proportion of better cell HO
High rate of DL/UL quality HO and interference HO
Low HO success rate
A interface indicators
High rate of Clear Request message, cause radio interface failure
Drive Test

 RxQual > 4 with RxLev > -85 dBm

Typical causes:
GSM interferences: Co-channel, adjacent.
Non GSM Interference: Other Mobile Network, Other RF sources.
Co-channel interference:
C/I = Carrier-to-interference ratio
+12 dB is taken into account for Alcatel ( +9 dB according to GSM standard) (i.e. interference can be
9 12 dB weaker than serving cell to cause poor RxQual).
Indications: Downlink and/or Uplink Interference, High rate of quality handover, call drop, and call
setup failure.
Investigation: Drive test analysis, Lumpini: Co-channel checking, Check prediction to verify which cell
could be causing the interference, Frequency plan C/I < 12 dB.
Optimization: Antenna optimization, Change frequency, Reduce BTS power (not an option in TA
Orange network), Concentric cell.
Adjacent channel interference:
C/A = Carrier-to-adjacent ratio
-6 dB is taken into account for Alcatel ( -9 dB according to GSM standard).
Indications : Downlink and/or Uplink Interference, High rate of quality handover, call drop, and call
failure
Investigation: Adjacent HO statistics (if they are defined as neighbors). If they often handover, then
adjacent channel interference could be a problem. Drive test analysis ; Lumpini: Adjacent channel
checking ; Cell coverage prediction; Frequency plan C/I < -6 dB.
Optimization : Antenna optimization, Change frequency, Reduce BTS power (not an option in TA
Orange network), use Concentric cell
Non GSM interference :
Other mobile network : Inter-modulation with GSM BTS/MS receiver
Other RF interferers

 Radar
Shop anti-theft mechanism
Medical devices
Other man-made radio transmission
Illegal usage of GSM frequencies (e.g. illegal imported devices, illegal usage of other organization, )
III. Unbalance power budget Problem
A cell facing unbalanced power budget problems presents a too high path-loss difference between UL
and DL (often DL>UL)
Lower Rx diversity gain of cross polarized antenna in rural area compared to dense area
Crossed feeders
Traffic not directly in boresight of antenna, where cross-polar discrimination is lower
Loose connectors
Faulty antenna, feeder, TMA
Rule : try to have delta as small as possible to avoid access network possible only in 1 direction
(usually BTS->MS : OK and MS->BTS : NOK), i.e. uplink limited
Indicators:
OMC QoS indicators
High ratio of Uplink level Handover cause
Low incoming HO success rate
DL level looks OK for HO, but UL is too weak when HO is attempted
Degradation of TCH failures and OC call drop indicators
A interface indicators
High rate of Clear Request message, cause radio interface failure

 O&M Alarms
Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR)
TMA
Investigation :
Abis monitoring: ABS(delta Path loss) > 10Check if problem is occurring for 1 TRX or all.
ABS(delta path loss) = ABS(UL Path loss DL Path loss)
UL Path loss = MS transmitted power measured received UL level
DL Path loss = BTS transmitted power combiner loss measured received DL level
Large difference between uplink and downlink level triggered HO.
Use PM observation counter (in OMC-R)
RT11
Optimization : This equipment should be checked
TRX types (MP, HP)
Antennas or common RF components, TMA (common to all TRX of the BTS)
TRX RF cables, LNA
IV. TCH congestion Problem
TCH Congestion :
TCH Congestion rate (TCH Assignment Phase) is too high (more than 2%)
Rule : try to meet the offered traffic (asked by users) by providing the right number of resources (TRX
extension)
Indications:
Customers complain about Network busy
OMC QoS indicators: High TCH Congestion rate, RTCH Assignment fail-Congestion, Low incoming
Intra/Inter BSC HO success rate (no TCH available), High Directed Retry rate or Congestion Relief
(Motorola) if activated, A interface indicators: BSS Congestion failure in OC(High rate of Assignment
Failure message, No radio resource available)
Drive Test : Handover to better cell is slow, or never occurs

Optimization:
Special events :
Foreseeable: (footballs match, important meeting, Exhibition, etc): Add some extra TRXs, Add special
mobile BTSs (Cell on Wheel), Activate HR (may not always be possible due to BSC capacity limitations)
Not foreseeable: car crash on the highway
Daily periodic problems : At busy hour:
Hardware solution: Add TRX(s), concentric cell, new site, Optimize cell boundaries (i.e. antenna
optimization) to share traffic with surrounding cells.
Software solution: Directed Retry, Traffic Handover, Half Rate (Alcatel), Congestion Relief (Motorola)
Flow control (Motorola).
Problems and responsible parties
Coverage problem :
If the measured RxLev does not match the prediction:
Check the prediction, check panoramic pictures for obstructions
Field Operation team to check physical configuration (tilt, azimuth, antenna height). Also check for
faults in the antenna system (VSWR, sweep antennas, DTF test, etc.)
If Field Operation find no problem, antenna optimization may be required (if necessary)
If the field realities match the prediction:
RF team to add new sites (tri-sector, micro cellular, indoor cells) to improve poor/no coverage area
(Optimizer requests for some new sites to RF team regarding to the drive test result).
Interference problem :
Optimization team to identify the interference source and request Spectrum Management team to
correct it in case of internal source (new frequency planning)
Unbalanced power budget problem :
Field Operation team to check the impacted BTS (Antenna, TMA, RF cables, LNA, diversity system)
according to request from Optimizer.

 TCH Congestion problem :

Regional RF to request TRX expansion.